BCS Variants on Long Island

My only thinking would be that the majority of beer stores on Long Island are affiliated with the Big Beverage chain and have proven that they can and do sell other Goose Island stuff. That the distributors/brewery wanted Beverage Plus to buy a certain amount of lesser Goose Island product in order to establish themselves as a prominent store that caries BCS in addition to their other products.

 

I've seen the order sheet that the distributor sent out. You may need good GI sales throughout the year, but for even a BCBS + variants order, stores were required to buy a dozen or so cases of non-Bourbon County beer.

Not this exact deal, but Syosset, Glen Cove, and Hicksville pushed their beers into a bundle. Not sure if other stores had this push from the distributors, but I do agree, that's extremely generous of them if they didn't force bundles, but still had to buy them.

In the end, I'm unsure of what deal every individual store got from their distributor. If stores had to buy the bundle, but didn't force onto consumers, then that's incredible. They need more support for their consumer friendly practices. I do however blame the distributors for putting stores in this situation deciding between losing money on mediocre GI beers sitting on the shelf and costumer loyalty.

 

I know stores that were not forced to buy any bundles of other beers, but I assume they just sell a ton of GI and Bud stuff throughout the year, BP is a new store, so maybe that is why the order was so high for them to get the BCBS stuff, but this is a pretty absurd package if I do say so. I would not buy it, but can understand maybe buying another 12-pack or bottle of something that, but all that beer is NUTS!

Also Bev Plus is in Foral Park, but north of Jericho, so not the village, but the Floral Park neighborhood of Queens, do they still use Clare Rose for Bud/GI are they still considered Nassau, I also thought they used NYC dist.

 

I'd have to agree with your first assumption. The store I got my BCBS and variants and the one I shop at frequently sells tons of GI and bud products throughout the year. Our City is big on drinking, not saying that is a good thing, and most people drink BMC, especially during the summer months when hordes of people come to use our beach. We even have small taverns that buy their bud products right from the store in bulk and skip the distributor. They did not require a package of any sorts and I did not see, nor hear, they had to purchase extrra GI products in order to prove their BCS worth.

It would make sense that BP, being a new store, would have to "prove" their worth but the package is absolutely ridiculous and makes me reconsider stopping back there when I am in the area.

 

What deal did Glen cove have?

 

I believe Vanilla was sold along with a GI Variety case of beer.

 

Thought maybe you saw something different, he didn't sell his bottles of vanilla at all.

 

Nope, bar has been lowered. Read below.

Know you were joking. Fyi for others, Beverage Plus has two stores, second one in Warwick, NY.

What's funny is Beverage Plus had two packages, one listed above which included vanilla, and another slightly less expensive that excluded vanilla. I can understand some people trying to defend this store but consider these points:

1. Store is in Queens. Thus no rationale for package deal that excludes Vanilla. All variants are here.
2. Excessive total package price for both options. Could have been less beers.
3. Lowers the standard for other stores to follow.
4. Encourages this store to pull similar "promotions" in the future.
5. Yes, you can choose not to buy either package but if customer displeasure is not felt, watch prices increase faster than inflation. Certainly both packages will sell out since it's before Christmas. Doesn't make it right.
6. Eventually, money grabbing will be an addiction. Thus begins the downward spiral.

 

I feel you can push GI sales by being creative and rewarding to the customer in the same strategy. Monarch had a GI bike raffle during the months of September and October. Buy a 12 or 2 sixer's of GI and you can enter a raffle to win a really nice GI bike. This boosts your GI sales and rewards a lucky customer. Win-win.

 

How about some shout outs for the stores doing it right. First nominee is:

Beverage Barn in GC. Venilla and coffee are being raffles off, just leave your name. Standard is first come first serve

 

This is a good and a bad idea at the same time. Good because it gives everyone a fair chance at obtaining it. Bad because if I was a loyal customer I would be pissed to find out that after supporting a business for so long with many beer purchases that I wouldnt be able to outright buy the beer. There has to be some degree of lotalty to your customers.

Three questions: How did they obtain coffee? What's the price look like if you win the raffle? And is the raffle still open?

 

They didn't get coffee. Reg, BW, and Vanilla like everyone else on Long Island.

 

@BoardwalkBock I agree BUT what I believe they are doing is only giving their loyal customers tickets. Not sure if they admit it or not. So I may not win the VS or even the BW but at least I know a loyal customer did. This way I don't have to plan my day around buying beer

 

Gotcha!

 

I got that impression as well. They were asking if you were in the computer system already with an email address.

 

In that case, I must applaud there effort at fairly distributing BCBS+variants to their loyal customers.

 

I was in their system already and i don't go there too often. They put you in their system for all limited release stuff so i'm sure every truck chaser on Long Island is in their computer.

 

Bourbon County Vanilla Rye on tap at Press 195 in rvc. Tasting so good!! 2 glass limit.

 

Awesome -- thanks for the heads up!

 

Anytime! Cheers.